Slip cover



June 17, 1958 E. M. SCHUTTE ,1

SLIP COVER Filed Feb. 18, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F'IG.2

FIG. 1'

INVENTOR. By [T/ffi'l (56/1077? V/P W ATTORNEYS June 17, 1958 E. M. SCHUTTE SLIP COVER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 18, 1955 INVENTOR. BY [77151. SCf/l/i'lf ATTORNEKS United States atent 2,83%,327 Patented June 17, 1958 SLIP COVER Ethel M. Schutte, Baltimore, Md, assignor to S. R: E.

Manufacturing Company, Baltimore, Md a corporation of Maryland Application February 18, 1955, Serial No. 489,047

4 Claims. (Cl. 155 182) This, invention r lates to slip covers for upholstered furniture and has for its general object the provision of an improved ready-made slip cover made of knitted material.

Many attempts have been made by the art to provide a self-conforming, ready-made slip cover having a universality which will enable it to satisfactorily fit all chairs of a basic style even. though they differ greatly in shape and dimensions in the parts thereof. Slip covers made of knitted material, as heretofore constructed, ac complished this general purpose, but they possessed disadvantages which detracted from their appearance and effectiveness as ready-made slip covers. For instance, so far as I am aware, all prior knitted slip covers were provided with surplus material which was pulled under the chair and secured thereunder in stretched condition to anchor the slip cover to the chair. This necessitated that the user when installing the cover on a chair, tip the chair over on its side to apply stretch to and to secure the surplus material beneath the chair seat. As a result of this tension on the material, its patternwas distorted, the shape of thte chair was lost, and quite often insuflicient material was left in the seat portion of the chair for tuck-in which resulted in split seams after the furniture had been in active use for a time. Due also to the unevenness of pull which would be applied by a user to the parts of a prior constructed knitted slip cover in installing it on a chair, it was not possible to furnish such prior knitted slips cover with an attached skirt and obtain a satisfactory result. As a consequence, detached skirts were usually provided with knitted slip covers. These detached skirts however, have never proved satisfactory because they have the faculty of never staying in place and after being in use a time, sag where not supported, These factors after awhile considerably cooled the publics desire for knitted slip covers even though they have certain decided advantages over ready-made slip covers made of non-stretchable fabric material. A further disadvantage of the prior knitted slip cover is that their constructions were such that they required excess material to be tucked in a space between the tops of the chairarms and back, in order to satisfactorily fit the arm compartments of the cover on the arms of a chair. Consequently, such prior constructions could not be properly used on chairs in which such spaces were not provided, thereby limiting their use in this respect.

The present invention provides a knitted slip cover which eliminates the aforesaid disadvantages of prior covers of this type. More specifically, the present invention provides a knitted slip cover which can be satisfactorily installed on a chair without the necessity of including surplus material to be secured underneath the chair seat, without tipping the chair over during such installatiomwithout distorting the pattern of the knitted material or losing thev shape of the chair, and without the danger of providing insufiicient material in the seat portion for tuck-in. The present invention also provides a knitted slip cover which is so constructed that a skirt may be attached thereto and will maintain a neat appearance during usage. The present invention also provides a knitted slip cover which may be utilized on all chairs of a basic style and whether or not spaces are provided between the tops of the arms and back of such chairs.

A better understanding of the invention, as well as the advantages and features thereof, will be had after a perusal of the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a front perspective view of an upholstered chair having a slip cover thereon embodying the present improvements;

Fig. 2 is a rear perspective view of the cover and chair, the rear panel and skirt being broken away to illustrate the cover more clearly;

Fig. 3 is an assembly plan view of the several sections or panels of the cover.

The slip cover of the instant invention is what may be called a unitary slip cover in that the several sections or panels which constitute such cover are all connected together in one unit by lines of stitching. All of the sections or panels, including the skirt of the slip cover, are made of a soft knitted cotton fabric which is stretchable, has inherent resilient qualities, and has a soft fuzzy surface. Thus, when the cover is stretched over the upholstered surface of a chair, it will readily conform itself to the contour of the chair and will tend to get a firm grip on the chair to prevent slipping or sliding thereof over the chair surfaces. As shown more clearly in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the slip cover includes five main panels and a skirt panel designated A. The main panels are composed of a rear panel B for covering the back of the chair, afront panel C for covering the front of the chair back, a seat panel D, and side panels E, F of similar shape for covering the arms of the chair.

The seat panel D is formed to cover the top of the chair seat beneath the cushion whcih is covered or enclosed by a separate envelope, and comprises a body or main portion of greater area than the area of the top surface of the largest chair seat in the basic style of chair which the cover is designed to be fitted on to provide material which may be tucked in between the chair seat and the arms and back of a particular chair in such style. The seat panel is provided with a front rectangularly-shaped extension. 11 having a length less than the width of the narrowest chair seat to be found in such basic style of chairs and a width or depth less than the thickness of the chair seat. The bottom edge of the extension 11 is connected by a seam to the central portion of the skirt A. The end edges of the extension 11 are connected by a seam to the outer front edge portions 12, 12 of panel D from the points 13 to the points 14, and from the latter to the bottom edge of such extension to the front edge portions 15, 15 of the side panels E, F. The side edges of panel D are con nected by seams 16, 16 to the inner side edges of a pair of elongated strips 17, 17 which when the cover is on the chair are tucked in between the sides of the chair seat and the arms of the chair. The outer side edges of the strips 17, 17 are connected by seams 18, 18 to the inner edges of the arm panels E, F. The front edges of strips 17, 17 are connected by seams 20, 20 (note Fig. l) to front edge portions 19, 19 of panels E, F, which seams 20, 20 also connect the straight front edge portions 2122 of the panels E, F. to the front edge portions 2322 of such panels to form pockets for the fronts of the arms of the chair.

It will be understood from the description so far given 2,339,337 7 I If 3.. that the front ends of 'the panels D, E, F and strips 17, 17 are so constructed and connected that pockets are formed for the front corners of the chair seat and the front ends of the chair arms, and sufiicient surplus material is provided'to'betucked" in between the sides of the chair seat-and the chair arms. :By reason of the strips 17, 17, the depth of such tuck-in is such that it will securely lockthe panels D; E and F in proper position on the interior of the chair. The outer side edge portions 2425of the'panelsE; F, are'connected by seams to the upper edge portions-2647 of the skirt leaving the two ends of the skirts of the skirt A beyond the points 27, 27 free to be brought around in overlapping relation .at the rear of the chair, as shownfinFigl of the drawings.

As a result of this construction, the front side edge por- 1 tions ofthe panel's'E, ,F, within'the areas defined by the frontcurved" edge portions 22 24' thei'eofeirtend over the front-faces of thechairarms;

It will be noted from Fig. 3 of the drawings, that the outer side edgeportions'2528"ofpanels E, F, are inclined with respect to theouter side edgeportions 24 -25 thereof. Connected by s'eams 2 9',' .29 to such'outer side edge portions 25 28 are theside edges of rectangularlyshaped extensions 30, 30 which are'tucked'in between the skirt A' andthe chair-beyond the points 27, 27 of. such skirt. It will-be n'otedin this drawing that the'extensions 30, 30 stop short of theinclinedrear'edge portions 31-32 of panels E, E, the latter ofwhicharefree and unconnected. This is likewise true of the. rear edge portions 32-33;of such panels: 7

The rear-edges of panel D and strips 17, 17 are connected by a searn'34 to the bottom edge of the front panel C. The side edgeportions36-37 of panel C are connected by seams 39; 39 to the rear edge portions 36-35 of panels E, F, leaving the rear edge portions 33 of panels E, F free and unconnectedl The rear edgeportions 35-33of panel'sE, F have a length substantially the same as the rear'edge portions 32-33 thereof, the latter beingQdisposed' at substantially right angles to theformcr; The side edge portions 37-40 of panel C'as well as the-edgesof the slits 38"located between suchpoints 37, are free. and unconnected. Panel C. is continuously connected b'y a'seam 42' from a point 40 on one-side-thereof; upwardly to and along the top'edge thereof and-"downwardly to a .poin't40' on the other side thereof, to rear'panelB' from a point 41 on one side thereof, upwardlyjto andalong the top edge thereof, and do'wnwardly-toa point' 41 on the other side thereof. In view of the 'differencesjin'the' radii of curvature at the-top cornersof panels-B, and C andin order to form pockets for theupper ends-of the chair back, the material ofpanel C'at therounded top 'cornersthereof are folded'to provide darts 43, 43. The edges of panel B from point 41 on one side-thereof downwardly to the lower edge thereof, along-such lower edge, and upwardly ,to point 41 on the other side thereof, are free and disconnected;

The skirt A is-composed of' a strip 44 of knitted fabric having its upper edge suitably gathered'and' connected through a strip 4S of welting material to a cord 46. This welted cord provides an attractive'finish'for the skirt, but its primary purpose is to provide anon-stretchable fastening member along the upper edge of the knitted skirt and along the edge portions of 'panels D, E and F, which are connected thereto, so that such parts of the knitted skirt andpanels can properly" and securely be positioned in place on a chair. 7

In installing the cover of "this invention on a chair. the-pockets formed'atthe upper ends of panels-B and C may beplacedover the upper ends. ofthe chair back. It may be stated at this tirne that except for thebody portion of panel D and the portion of panehC below the points 40; rth-the panels are constructed so that they are less in area than the surface areas ofthe smallest chair in a basic style which they are to cover. Due to the resilience cover chair backs having a circumference ranging from about 55 inches to 75 inches. Returning now to theinstallation of the cover, after the pocket formed by the I upper ends of the panels B and C is placed on thetop of the chair back with the seam 42 preferably defining the rear upper surface portion of the. chair,. panel C' is" smoothed into position on the front of the chair 'back until the ends of seam 42 reach the top rear ends of "the arms. The edges of panel B between the points 37, 40 as well as the edges of the slits 38 are then tucked into the spaces between thetop rear ends of the chair arms and the chair back. If there is no such crevice, it will be found that by stretching the material the side edges of panel C from points-40 thereof down to the slits 38, the edges of slits 38 andthe side, edges of suchpanel from slits 38downto points. 40;willfprovide selfrconforming edges which will snugly fit into the juncture of thetop rear ends of the chair arms with the chair back. The arm compartments maythenbe placed in proper position over the chair arms. The user is guided inthis by first propjerlylocatin'g seams 15 ahd 2i) onthe, arms considering the heightof'the skirt withrespect to the fioorjand then smoothing panels 13' and F over the arms of the chair. With the panels E and F properly positioned on the arms," the rear extended portions ofsuch panels using the non-stretchable cord46 asan aid and a guide, are drawn around to thej'rear of 'the'ch'air under tension and secured to the fabric materialof the-chair back. by suitable pins or'hooks47" (noteFig. 2)., In sodrawing the extended portionsof'panels Eand 'F, it will be noted that the edgeportions 32 33-3'5 there0fwill snugly fit in the juncture of the arms and the' back-andif there is a crevice at such .junctures; mayf'befl'pushedin the-same to obtain a neater appearance. QPanel Bl'is then drawn down over the back of the 'chairand over; the. pulled around portions of panels'E andf F and secured in posi-v tion by means of pins or hooks 48. 1

By gripping the ends of the cord'46, theends of the i skirt A are pulled'around'to the' rear of the chair in overlapping relation to panel B. and overlapped and secured together under'tension at the rearof the chairby a fastener 49$ A second fastener'50 may be utilized to secure the ends of the skirt panel 44'together. During the attachment of the skirt to the chair,'it"may readily be maintainedatthe proper height all'along' theperiphery of the chairby vertically shifting the"co'rd46 before. its endsare secured together. Thus, by reason of the ten sioned'cord, the panels E, F and B are securely fastened and anchored to the bottom of the chair without the necessity of providing any additional means under'the chair for this purpose; In this assembly of'the cover,

the'strips30, 30 servea dual'purpose. The seams 29,29 thereof provide a guidefor properly fitting the endsof the cord on'the chair'and' a support for the cord to pre-. vent saggingof the skirt during usage. The strips 30, 30 also serve as coveringpieces to prevent gaps showing along the sides of thechairbetween the panelsE," and F- and'the skirt when the'chair is a very deep oneasindicated in Fig.2 of the drawings. In such a case, the strips 30, 30jwill be positioned partly on the side of the chair and partly at the rear of the chair with the skirt'overlapping the same.

With the' panels B C, Eand F thussecurcd'. to and anchored on the chair, the installation of the cover'may be completed by inserting the front ends of the chair seat in the pockets formed in panel' D" by the seams 15, '15 and then inserting the surplusmaterial on the lower end of panel C and the inner-sides ofpanels E and "F,'the strips 17; and the surplus material at the-rear and'side edge'sof panel 1D in the crevices .between the-arms and back of the chair and between the arms and back and seat of thecha'ir;

1 thus anchoring the cushion to the seat. As the outer edges of panels B, C, D, E, and F are already anchored in position in the manner previously described, this tucking-in operation will be accomplished without any distortion of the design of the knitted material.

While there has been hereinabove described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A unitary, knitted slip cover composed of complete knitted fabric panels for covering the rear, back-rest, seat and arms of a chair, said rear panel being connected along its top edge and for a portion of its side edges to the top and upper side edge portions of said back-rest panel to form a pocket for substantially the whole of the chair back above the arms, the remaining portions of the side edges and the bottom edge of the rear panel being free,

the side edges of said backrest panel from the lowermost points of connection with said rear panel and for a substantial distance being free and having transversely cut therethrough a pair of oppositely disposed slits which are located between the upper and lower ends of such edge portions and which have free side edges so that such edge P01110135 can be expanded and together with the side edges of the slits provide self-conforming edges capable of snugly fitting into the junctures between the chair back and the chair arms, the lower portions of the side edges of said backrest panel from the lower ends of theintermediate free side edge portions thereof to the 'bottom end of the back rest panel being located below the chair arms and being connected to the rear edges of the inner covering portions of said arm panels, said arm panels having an inner portion for covering the inner faces of the chair arms, a central portion for covering the top surfaces of the chair arms, and an outer portion for covering the outer faces of the chair arms, said central portions commencing at points below the junctures between the chair back and the chair arms and the rear edges of said central and outer portions of said arm panels being free, said inner and central portions of the arm panels having substantially the same length, and said outer portions being substantially longer than said inner and central portions and having such length as to form rear extensions adapted to be drawn around the rear of the chair and front extensions adapted to cover the front faces of the chair arms, the free rear edges of said central portions and the adjacent, free, longitudinally extending edges of said rear extensions snugly fitting into the junctures between the -cbair back and the chair arms and coacting With said intermediate side edge portions of the back-rest panel to cover the chair in such regions, fastening means for securing the rear edges of said rear extensions to the back of the chair and fastening means for securing said rear panel to the back of the chair in overlapped relation to said rear extensions, the front edges of the front extensions on the outer portions of said arm panels being connected to the front edges of said central and inner portions, the inner edges of said inner portions being connected to the side edges of said seat panel, the rear edge of said seat panel being connected to the bottom edge of said back-rest panel and the front edge of said seat panel being connected to a skirt panel, and a skirt panel connected at its central portion to the front edge of said seat panel and at the spaced portions thereof adjacently to said central portion to the outer edges of said arm panels and having two free ends to be drawn around in overlapping relation at the rear of the chair, said skirt panel including a body portion of knitted fabric and a non-stretchable member extending along the top edge of said body portion, and means to radjustably connecting the ends of said nonstretchable member together, said skirt panel, by itself,

anchoringto the chair the front edge of said seat panel,- the outer edges of said arm panels and the lower end of said rear panel.

2. A unitary knitted slip cover composed of complete knitted fabric panels for covering the rear, back-rest, seat and arms of a chair, said rear panel being connected along. its top edge to the top edge of said back-rest panel and having a substantial portion at least of its side edges and its bottom edge free, fastening means for securing the, free edges of said rear panel to the back of the chair, said back-rest panel being connected along its bottom edgetto the rear edge of said seat panel and being connected along its side edges to the rear edges of said arm panels, said arm panels having an inner portion for covering the inner. faces of the chair arms, a central portion for covering the top surfaces of the chair arms, and an outer portion for covering the outer waces of the chair arms, the rear ends of said central and outer portions being free and unconnected, said inner and central portions of the arm panels having substantially the same length and said outer portions having such length as to form rear extensions adapted to be drawn around to the rear of the chair and front extensions adapted to cover the front faces of the chair arms, means for securing the rear edges of said rear exten-. sions to the back of the chair beneath said rear panel, the front edges of the front extensions of said outer portions being connected to the front edges of said central and inner portions of said arm panels, the inner edges of said inner portions being connected to the side edges of said. seat panel, said seat panel having a forward extension of less width than the Width of the body of said seat panel and located between forward edge portions on the ends of such body, portions of the ends of.the' forward extension of said seat panel being connected to such forward body edge portions and portions of the ends of the for ward extension of said seat panel being connected to the front edges of the front extensions of said outer portions, the longitudinal edge of said seat forward extension being connected to the top edge of a skirt panel, and a skirt panel connected at its central portion to the front edge of said seat panel to the outer edges of said arm panels and having two free ends to be drawn around in overlapping relation at the rear of the chair, said skirt panel including a body portion of knitted fabric and a non-stretchable member extending along the top edge of said body portion, and means for adjustably connecting the ends of said non-stretchabhle member together.

3. A unitary knitted slip cover composed of complete knitted fabric panels for covering the rear, back-rest, seat and arms of a chair, said rear panel being connected along its top edge to the top edge of said back-rest panel and having a substantial portion at least of its side edges and its bottom edge free, fastening means for securing the free edges of said rear panel to the back of the chair, said back-rest panel being connected along its bottom edge to the rear edge of said seat panel and being connected along its side edges to the rear edges of said arm panels, said arm panels having an inner portion for covering the inner faces of the chair arms, a central portion for covering the top surfaces of the chair arms, and an outer portion for covering the outer faces of the chair arms, said inner and central portions of the arm panels having substantially the same length, and said outer portions being substantially longer than said inner and central portions and having such length as to form rear extensions adapted to be drawn around to the rear of the chair and front extensions adapted to cover the front faces of the chair arms, means for securing the rear edges of said rear extensions to the back of the chair beneath said rear panel, the front edges of the front extensions of said outer portions, from the outer side edges of such front extensions to said central portions of the arm panels, being connected to the front edges of said central and inner portions of said arm panels so that the outer side edges of such front extensions constitute the bottom front edges of the arm compartmentsformed' by such arm panels the inner edges of said inner po'rtions beingeonnectedto the side edges of said seat panel, a skirt panel connected at its central portion to the-front edge of said seat'f-panel and at the spaced portions thereof'adjacently tosaid central portion to the outer side edges' of said front extensions and to the outer edges ofsaid arm panels from theends of such outer side edges t'opoints' locatedforwardly of the junctures of said rear extensions with saidouter portions of the arm panels, said pointsand the rear edges of said rear extensions, and said skirt-panel including a body portion of knitted fabricand anon-stretchable member extending along the top edge' of said body portion, and meansfor adjustably connectingthe overlapped ends ofsaid skirt togetherunder ten- 7 sion', said skirt 'panel'being supported against-sag intermediate saidconnecting means and said points by the side extension seams and, by itself, anchoring to the chair thefront edge of said seat panel, the outer edges of said arm panels and the lower end of said rear panel.

'4. A unitary slip ;-cover composed of knitted material and ofpanels for: covering the-rear, back-rest, seat and arms of a chair, said rear panel being connected along its top. edge to the top edge of said back-rest panel, and said back-rest panel being connected along its bottom edge to the rear edge .of said seat panel, said arm panels having aninner portion for covering the inner faces of the chair ,8 arms," a-central portion" for covering the top'surfaces of the chair arms, and outer portion for covering the outer faces of the ehair-arms, the inner" edges of said inner arm portions beingsc'onnected to the side edges of said-seat panel, the rear ends of said central and outer portions be ing free-andunconneeted, and saidouter portions having such length asto formrear extensions adapted to be drawn around to the-reardfthe chair, means for adjustablysecuringtherear edgesofsaid rear extensions to the backof the chait beneath-said rear panel, said seat panel having aforward extension of less width than the width of the body of the seat panel and located between forward edge portions ontheends of such -bo'dy, portions of the. ends of said forwardextension-being Lc'onnected to such for-ward edge I portions, and portions of T the ends-of said forwardex-tension being connected toportions of the front edges of said arm panels,- and'a skirt panel connected at its central 'port'ion' to the longitudin'al:edge of'said seat forward extension and having a pairof spaced portions adjacently to the ends of "such --cen,tra'l portion-connected to theouter side edges of said arm panels, the ends of said skirt panel being free and' adaptedto be drawn around to the r'earof the chair, said skirt-panel including a body portion of knitted fabric and a nonsstretchable member extending along the top edge of said body portion, and'rneans for adjustably securing th'e ends 'oftsaid non-stretchable member-at the rear ofthe chair. i Y

Retorenizes Cited the file of this patent V f V U i ED' STA E PA E T 1,942,111 'Lev-i a.. Jan. 2,1934 2,416,806 Waranch Mar. 4;"1947 2,641,001 Krasnov June 9, 1:953 

